2012 Readers’ Favorite Bassists – #9: Tony Levin

Tony Levin is a busy bassist, and 2012 found him more releasing albums, a photo book, and gearing up for more touring. That, plus our popular interview with him and Julie Slick helped propel this bassist to #9 on the readers’ favorite list for the year.

Peter Gabriel is celebrating the 25th anniversary of his landmark album, So, with a tour that will feature music from the album. So reached multi-platinum status (five times over), with hits including “Sledgehammer,” “Big Time,” “Red Rain,” “Don’t Give Up” (duet with Kate Bush) and “In Your Eyes.”…

Musician, producer and former Yes member Billy Sherwood has put together what he’s dubbed “the biggest super group of progressive rock players ever assembled,” to form The Prog Collective. The group has released their self-titled album this week, featuring John Wetton (Asia), Tony Levin (King Crimson), Jerry Goodman (Mahavishnu Orchestra), Richard Page (Mr. Mister)…

Tony Levin has released an iPad app version of his book Crimson Chronicles: The 80’s, which documents his time with the legendary prog rock band King Crimson through pictures. Levin, who is also an avid photographer, includes hundreds of photos from his collection to show what life in the band and on the road was like…

Back in August, the Brecker Brothers’ entire Arista Records catalog was released in a new box set format. The Brecker Brothers: The Complete Arista Albums Collection collects the group’s six albums released on Arista between 1975 and 1981. None of the albums have ever been released on CD in the US…

The “Two of a Perfect Trio” Tour, which brings The Stick Men and Adrian Belew’s Power Trio together for a night of King Crimson-centric music, presents many parallels between the musicians, the most interesting being the dichotomy between bassists Tony Levin and Julie Slick…

What the heck are all those Jazz guys doing on here. They’re not really Bass Players! They are some other species. And Dead Guys? Really? Do we just not have that many great BP’s left these days?
Give me a Break already! Tony Levin? YES! Jack Bruce? Historically YES!
Where Squire or Mel Schacher? (Especially if you are going back Decades!)
The Jazz guys need to go in a category all there own. They don’t really do the Groove thing. Arrrggghh!

I was fortunate enough to catch Tony Levin performing with The King Crimson Projekct in Detroit a nd as expected he the paragon of great playing. Moreover, I ordered his book and had a real problem with the binding; things happen. I sent an email to his merchandise people just to apprise them of the problem and they not only did they send me another copy, but a T-shirt for my inconvenience. Professional conduct from top to bottom. Cheers.

I was fortunate enough to catch Tony Levin performing with The King Crimson Projekct in Detroit a nd as expected he the paragon of great playing. Moreover, I ordered his book and had a real problem with the binding; things happen. I sent an email to his merchandise people just to apprise them of the problem and they not only did they send me another copy, but a T-shirt for my inconvenience. Professional conduct from top to bottom. Cheers.

What the heck are all those Jazz guys doing on here. They’re not really Bass Players! They are some other species. And Dead Guys? Really? Do we just not have that many great BP’s left these days?
Give me a Break already! Tony Levin? YES! Jack Bruce? Historically YES!
Where Squire or Mel Schacher? (Especially if you are going back Decades!)
The Jazz guys need to go in a category all there own. They don’t really do the Groove thing. Arrrggghh!